Prickleburr Swamp
A little more than a hundred miles from Paradise City's easternmost borderwall are the shattered remains of a Theta Kappa-class Ecology Preservation Dome, better known in modern times as the Prickleburr Swamp. Unlike other nature reserves, Prickleburr was not made as a bastion of nature's beauty but rather as a reminder of Scylla's violent origins- the water was kept salty, the muck was left undisturbed, and the bizarre animal life that evolved up around the Aboleth unmolested. Unfortunately, but not unexpectedly, the dome was shattered and the swamps were allowed to grow beyond their confines during the Armageddon Wars, allowing the murky waters and twisted plants to spread like a wildfire. Initially it was feared this spread might overtake huge swaths of Terria, but such fears were laid to rest once the foundations near one of the artificial freshwater rivers broke; the fresh water overpowered the salty muck in its entirety, and washed it all out to sea. The plants and animal life died off swiftly, replaced by newer freshwater plants and animals through means (or perhaps by persons) unknown, and the swamp ceased its expansion, instead taking from the innumerable undead and using them as nourishment for new life. No explanation has however ever been given for why it was named 'Prickleburr', since almost all plants which could be considered prickly in the local ecology died out centuries ago. Now, the Prickleburr Swamp is filled with all sorts of flora and fauna that are generally unique to swampy biomes, some of which are farmed or hunted by the local townships, others which are not and serve more as obstacles or hazards. It is considered a great mercy that the swamp is disfavored by Black Dragons, possessing no real treasures aside from whatever people bring into the Prickleburr with them and various reagents and plants popular with spellcasters, chemists, and potion-makers. There are no known ruins lurking below the surface of the murky waters, no relics of incredible arcane power or technological sophistication, and there appears to be minimal effect from the Leylines except for sudden bursts of plant growth or decay. This is perhaps what makes the Prickleburr a desirable place to live, its lack of importance generally means that it is left alone, it is rare that the civilized inhabitants of the swamp are required to deal with any threat or wonder greater than dire animals or, if they're lucky, the occasional magical beast. Once in a while a pack of undead from outside the swamps might wander in without being consumed by the muck and briars and cause people trouble. The only real "road" in or out of the Prickleburr is the Flonese River, which connects all the way to the Wellelston Division River- airboats and flying creatures are the most popular means of getting through or by. There are several communities in the Prickleburr Swamps which make their living from the swamps, their inhabitants generally considered and treated as country bumpkins and rednecks by their neighbors for their simplistic and straightforward world views, as well as their clever and innovative methods of living comfortably. Lampsack Lows consists primarily of farmers, who grow special Layerfirs- an interesting mutation of common fir trees- at impressive speeds to be cut down and sold to papermills, as well as cultivating various swamp mosses to be combined with other herbs to make a particularly delicious caffeine-free tea, and several xenobiological plants which are used in biofuels. Twainway deals mostly in animals, breeding various animals for meat, pets, and mounts- crocogators, horses, and several breeds of dogs and wolves, respectively. '''Siltback '''turns out quite a few hunters, who stalk the swamps in search of dangerous beasts for reagents and meat to feed themselves and sell off to Paradise City- they are one of the few Prickleburr communities fortunate enough to have their own local wizard, Franklin Rothson, who processes and purifies reagents and occasionally travels between villages and towns and looks for promising students or swampland curiousities to study. Back to Terria Back to Main Page